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perimeter mand northern army group unauthorized egress from the perimeter zone is strictly forbidden。
anyone attempting to cross the perimeter zone will be shot without warning。
authorized travelers must report to the perimeter mand h。q。
remember鈥敗o warning will be made sabriel read the note with interest； and felt a quickening sense of excitement start within her。
her memories of the old kingdom were dim； from the perspective of a child； but she felt a sense of mystery and wonder kindle with the force of the charter magic she felt around her鈥敗 sense of something so much more alive than the bitumened parade ground； and the scarlet warning sign。 and much more freedom than wyverley college。
but that feeling of wonder and excitement came laced with a dread that she couldn鈥檛 shake； a dread made up of fear for what might be happening to her father 。 。 。 what might have already happened 。 。 。
the arrow on the sign indicating where authorized travelers should go seemed to point in the direction of a bitumen parade ground； lined with white…painted rocks； and a number of unprepossessing wooden buildings。 other than that； there were simply the beginnings of the munication trenches that sank into the ground and then zigzagged their way to the double line of trenches； blockhouses and fortifications that confronted the wall。
sabriel studied them for a while； and saw the flash of color as several soldiers hopped out of one trench and went forward to the wire。 they seemed to be carrying spears rather than rifles and she wondered why the perimeter was built for modern war； but manned by people expecting something rather more medieval。 then she remembered a conversation with her father and his ment that the perimeter had been designed far away in the south； where they refused to admit that this perimeter was different from any other contested border。 up until a century or so ago； there had also been a wall on the ancelstierre side。 a lowish wall； made of rammed earth and peat； but a successful one。
recalling that conversation； her eyes made out a low rise of scarred earth in the middle of the desolation of wire； and she realized that was where the southern wall had been。 peering at it； she also realized that what she had taken to be loose pickets between lines of concertina wire were something different鈥攖all constructs more like the trunks of small trees stripped of every branch。 they seemed familiar to her； but she couldn鈥檛 place what they were。
sabriel was still staring at them； thinking； when a loud and not very pleasant voice erupted a little way behind her right ear。
鈥渨hat do you think you鈥檙e doing； miss？ you can鈥檛 loiter about here。 on the bus； or up to the tower！鈥�
sabriel winced and turned as quickly as she could； skis sliding one way and stocks the other； framing her head in a st。 andrew鈥檚 cross。 the voice belonged to a large but fairly young soldier； whose bristling mustaches were more evidence of martial ambition than proof of them。 he had two gilded bands on his sleeve； but didn鈥檛 wear the mail hauberk and helmet sabriel had seen on the other soldiers。 he smelled of shaving cream and talc； and was so clean； polished and full of himself that sabriel immediately catalogued him as some sort of natural bureaucrat currently disguised as a soldier。
鈥渋 am a citizen of the old kingdom；鈥潯he replied quietly； staring back into his red flushed face and piggy eyes in the manner which miss prionte had taught her girls to instruct lesser domestic servants in etiquette iv。 鈥渋 am returning there。鈥�
鈥減apers！鈥潯emanded the soldier； after a moment鈥檚 hesitation at the words 鈥渙ld kingdom。鈥�
sabriel gave a frosty smile （also part of miss prionte鈥檚 curriculum） and made a ritual movement with the tips of her fingers鈥攖he symbol of disclosing； of things hidden being seen； of unfolding。 as her fingers sketched； she formed the symbol in her mind； linking it with the papers she carried in the inner pocket of her leather tunic。 finger…sketched and minddrawn symbol merged； and the papers were in her hand。 an ancelstierre passport； as well as the much rarer document the ancelstierre perimeter mand issued to people who had traffic in both countries： a hand…bound document printed by letterpress on handmade paper； with an artist鈥檚 sketch instead of a photograph and prints from thumbs and toes in a purple ink。
the soldier blinked； but said nothing。 perhaps； thought sabriel； as he took the proffered documents； the man thought it was a parlor trick。 or perhaps he just didn鈥檛 notice。 maybe charter magic was mon here； so close to the wall。
the man looked through her documents carefully； but without real interest。 sabriel now felt certain that he was no one important from the way he pawed through her special passport。 he鈥檇 obviously never seen one before。 mischievously； she started to weave the charter mark for a snatch； or catch； to flick the papers out of his hands and back into her pocket before his piggy eyes worked out what was going on。
but； in the first second of motion； she felt the flare of other charter magic to either side and behind her鈥攁nd heard the clattering of hobnails on the bitumen。 her head snapped back from the papers； and she felt her hair whisk across her forehead as she looked from side to side。 soldiers were pouring out of the huts and out of the trenches； sword…bayonets in their hands and rifles at the shoulder。
several of them wore badges that she realized marked them as charter mages。 their fingers were weaving warding symbols； and barriers that would lock sabriel into her footsteps； tie her to her shadow。 crude magic； but strongly cast。
instinctively； sabriel鈥檚 mind and hands flashed into the sequence of symbols that would wipe clean these bonds； but her skis shifted and fell into the crook of her elbow； and she winced at the blow。
at the same time； a soldier ran ahead of the others； sunlight glinting on the silver stars on his helmet。
鈥渟top！鈥潯e shouted。 鈥渃orporal； step back from her！鈥�
the corporal； deaf to the hum of charter magic； blind to the flare of half…wrought signs； looked up from her papers and gaped for a second； fear erasing his features。 he dropped the passports； and stumbled back。
in his face； sabriel suddenly realized what it meant to use magic on the perimeter； and she held herself absolutely still； blanking out the partly made signs in her mind。 her skis slipped further down her arm； the bindings catching for a moment before tearing loose and clattering onto the ground。 soldiers rushed forward and； in seconds； formed a ring around her； swords angled towards her throat。
she saw streaks of silver； plated onto the blades； and crudely written charter symbols； and understood。 these weapons were made to kill things that were already dead鈥攊nferior versions of the sword she wore at her own side。
the man who鈥檇 shouted鈥攁n officer； sabriel realized鈥攂ent down and picked up her passports。
he studied them for a moment； then looked up at sabriel。 his eyes were pale blue and held a mixture of harshness and passion that sabriel found familiar； though she couldn鈥檛 place it鈥攖ill she remembered her father鈥檚 eyes。
abhorsen鈥檚 eyes were so dark brown they seemed black； but they held a similar feeling。
the officer closed the passport； tucked it in his belt and tilted his helmet back with two fingers； revealing a charter mark still glowing with some residual charm of warding。 cautiously； sabriel lifted her hand； and then； as he didn鈥檛 dissuade her； reached out with two fingers to touch the mark。 as she did so； he reached forward and touched her own鈥攕abriel felt the familiar swirl of energy； and the feeling of falling into some endless galaxy of stars。 but the stars here were charter symbols； linked in some great dance that had no beginning or end； but contained and described the world in its movement。 sabriel knew only a small fraction of the symbols； but she knew what they danced； and she felt the purity of the charter wash over her。
鈥渁n unsullied charter mark；鈥潯he officer pronounced loudly； as their fingers fell back to their sides。 鈥渟he is no creature or sending。鈥�
the soldiers fell back； sheathing swords and clicking on safety catches。 only the red…faced corporal didn鈥檛 move； his eyes still staring at sabriel； as if he was unsure what he was looking at。
鈥渟how鈥檚 over； corporal；鈥潯aid the officer； his voice and eyes now harsh。 鈥済et back to the pay office。 you鈥檒l see stranger happenings than this in your time here鈥攕tay clear of them and you might stay alive！ 鈥渟o；鈥潯e said； taking the documents from his belt and handing them back to sabriel。 鈥測ou are the daughter of abhorsen。 i am colonel horyse； the mander of a small part of the garrison here鈥攁 unit the army likes to call the northern perimeter reconaissance unit and everyone else calls the crossing point scouts鈥攁 somewhat motley collection of ancelstierrans who鈥檝e managed to gain a charter mark and some small knowledge of magic。鈥�
鈥減leased to meet you； sir；鈥潯opped out of sabriel鈥檚 school…trained mouth； before she could stifle it。 a schoolgirl鈥檚 answer； she knew； and felt a blush rise in